Cycloptopus : Mythical Sea Creature and Internet Web Log

My Apologies

Josh — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:24:27 +0000

I’d like to formally apologize to the blog for having abandoned it for over a month, but its not like we haven’t been busy:

Invention of Lying Reviews

Becca — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:30:54 +0000

Apparently people on iTunes are taking out their anger about how “effensive” Invention of Lying is. I’m glad they are getting out their frustrations.

Star Trek Cast with the Shuttle Enterprise

Becca — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:42:46 +0000

Today seems like a good day to post a random Star Trek photo from the NASA archives.

Neil Gaiman Tickets!

Becca — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:43:58 +0000

Neil Gaiman is coming to Naperville next month and tonight we stopped by Anderson’s Bookshop in downtown Naperville and picked up some tickets. I cannot wait!

Seriously?

Becca — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:32:02 +0000

Seriously? 5 As? Why would you do this to me?

I thought this was interesting…

Josh — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:08:06 +0000

I haven’t the faintest idea how I stumbled across this word, but I’m glad I did.

The pataphor (Spanish: patáfora, French: pataphore), is a term coined by writer and musician Pablo Lopez, for an unusually extended metaphor based on Alfred Jarry’s “science” of ‘pataphysics. As Jarry claimed that ‘pataphysics existed “as far from metaphysics as metaphysics extends from regular reality,” a pataphor attempts to create a figure of speech that exists as far from metaphor as metaphor exists from non-figurative language. Whereas a metaphor is the comparison of a real object or event with a seemingly unrelated subject in order to emphasize the similarities between the two, the pataphor uses the newly created metaphorical similarity as a reality with which to base itself. In going beyond mere ornamentation of the original idea, the pataphor seeks to describe a new and separate world, in which an idea or aspect has taken on a life of its own.

Like ‘pataphysics itself, pataphors essentially describe two degrees of separation from reality (rather than merely one degree of separation, which is the world of metaphors and metaphysics). The pataphor may also be said to function as a critical tool, describing the world of “assumptions based on assumptions,” such as belief systems or rhetoric run amok. The following is an example:

Non-figurative
Tom and Alice stood side by side in the lunch line.

Metaphor
Tom and Alice stood side by side in the lunch line, two pieces on a chessboard.

Pataphor
Tom took a step closer to Alice and made a date for Friday night, checkmating. Rudy was furious at losing to Margaret so easily and dumped the board on the rose-colored quilt, stomping downstairs.

Thus, the pataphor has created a world where the chessboard exists, including the characters who live in that world, entirely abandoning the original context.

Lifted directly from the Wikipedia, of course.

Little Becca

Becca — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:31:03 +0000

I haven’t had much to post lately, so here’s a photo of me when I was little.

Becca and Josh Cross Stitch!

Becca — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:10:55 +0000

For our wedding I made coloring books for all the kids at the reception. The cover had an illustration of Josh and I that I drew. Josh pixelated it and made it into a cross stitch pattern for me. I think this might be my favorite cross stitch I’ve done so far.

And for reference, the original illustration.

Coloring Book Page!

Becca — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:41:03 +0000

Today we got an awesome piece of mail from some friends – a coloring book page colored by their 2 year old daughter Ophelia. I think we really bonded at Disney World, while eating bacon at Kevin’s wedding.

Thanks Ophelia. Feed the birds.

While I’m being productive on the blog…

Josh — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:33:58 +0000

While I’m being productive on the blog I thought I’d share with you, dear reader, a special video.

Never before has the internet seen such a wonderful commercial for an iPhone application.

Okay, so I’m laying the hyperbole pretty thick on these last two posts but you’ve got to admit, its a pretty great video.

That is all.